Apparatus for use in winding pneumatically advanced yarns

ABSTRACT

When winding pneumatically transported yarn on a rotating winding support, a stationary guide plate is provided to ensure that the yarn always remains within a reciprocating guide that distributes the yarn on a winding support. The stationary guide plate projects adjacent to a slotted tube and prevents the yarn from being pulled from the reciprocating guide after the yarn is cut and while the yarn advances down the slotted tube.

United States Sartori [111 3,884,425 51 May 20, 1975 3,834,600 9/1974 Benchemoul 242/18 R X Primary E.raminerStanley N. Gilreath Attorney Agent, or FirmSherman & Shalloway [57] ABSTRACT When winding pneumatically transported yarn on a rotating winding support, a stationary guide plate is provided to ensure that the yarn. always remains within a reciprocating guide that distributes the yarn on a Winding support. The stationary guide plate projects adjacent to a slotted tube and prevents the yarn from being pulled from the reciprocating guide after the yarn is cut and while the yarn advances down the slotted tube.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I PATENTEDHAYZOIBYS SHEET 2 BF 2 FIGZ FIG.4

APPARATUS FOR USE 1N WINDING PNEUMATICALLY ADVANCED YARNS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to apparatus for winding yarn on asupport. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for winding yarn on a support, wherein yarn is transported to that support in a stream of expanding fluid.

2. Technical Considerations and Prior Art It has been found that yarn may be rapidly transp'ortedfrom one work station or location to another by means of an expanding stream of fluid within which the yarn is trained. Often after a strand of yarn has been produced and processed according to any of many well known procedures, the yarn is accumulated on a rotating spoolor, as generally referred to in the art, a rotating support. Accordingly, there are technical difficulties which must be overcome in coordinating fluid yarn transport systems and procedures with the mechanical process of winding.

French Patent 2,153,599 discloses one process in which yarn is transported at high speed by entraining the yarn in a stream of expanding fluid. The expanding fluid and strand of yarn are contained in a tube which defines a path for the yarn. in this particular patent, there is a longitudinal slit extending along the length of the tube through which the yarn may be withdrawn, at least in part, and located in a desired position. ln order to facilitate withdrawal of the yarn, the tube, of course, may be bent. Generally, fluid is introduced into the yarn by a nozzle mounted at the entrance of the tube. According to the disclosure of French Patent 2,1 53,5 99, the tube is split into two sections with a free space between the two sections through which a mechanical device passes to ensnare the yarn and delivers the yarn to another device which distributes the yarn on a winding support. The downstream section of the tube serves as an evacuation device and has another nozzle associated therewith which directs the yarn contained within the downstream portion into a waste container. As soon as the yarn becomes secure to the winding support, the yarn is severed between the winding support and the downstream tube. As the yarn is wound on the winding support, the nozzles associated with the two sections of the tube are stopped because the yarn is simply pulled by the winding support. After the winding is completed, the nozzles are again activated and a yarn cutter severs the yarn between the end of the first section of the tube and the winding support. There is then a portion of the yarn connected to the yarn winding support as the yarn continues to wind and an upstream strand which is advanced into the waste container.

In accordance with the afore-described French Patent 2,l53,599, the yarn was severed by a cutter located on the outside of the slotted tube. However, the applicant of the instant invention now has another French Patent Application No. 2,191,544 in which the yarn is severed while moving in the tube. By severing the yarn while the yarn moves in the tube, the cutter is able to act without disturbing the movement of the yarn. However, problems are encountered with the downstream portion of the yarn, the downstream por' tion being that portion which has its free end still entrained in the tube while being wound on the winding support. As the downstream end is advanced along the tube, a strand deviates from the normal path which it should follow. In addition, when the end of the downstream strand reaches the end of the tube and is attracted by the evacuation nozzle, it escapes from the reciprocating guide which distributes the strand on the winding support and becomes entangled with the upstream portion of the strand now advancing down the tube. Consequently, the yarn becomes tangled and accumulates in the evacuation tube, resulting in the tube becoming jammed. ln additiomas the winding support continues to turn, the downstream strand is wound in coils having a large pitch that is suddenly imposed on the winding, which causes a series of soft coils on the winding which are not tight.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION In view of these problems resulting with the apparatus of the prior art, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for winding fluid transported yarn.

It is an additional object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for systems in which fluid transported yarn is wound on a winding support, wherein the yarn is cut without interrupting the smooth advance of the yarn as the yarn is wound.

[t is still another object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for winding fluid transported yarn on a yarn support, wherein the yarn is severed within a tube through which it is transported and wherein subsequent tangles between the severed section of the yarn and the generated section are avoided.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for winding fluid transported yarn, wherein the yarn is wound in tight coils even after it has been severed in preparation for winding on a subsequent support.

It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for winding fluid transported yarn, wherein currently existing systems for doing such are rendered more practical and economical in their operation.

In view of these and other objects, the instant invention contemplates a new and improved apparatus for winding fluid transported yarn, wherein the yarn is advanced from an upstream station to a yarn winding support by a tube in which both the yarn and an expanding stream of fluid are captured. The tube has a first section and a second section which is disposed at an angle to the first section. The second section has a slot therein through which the yarn is withdrawn for winding on a support.

A reciprocating guide is disposed to receive the yarn when the yarn is removed from the slot and to distribute the yarn on the winding'support as the winding support turns. Upstream from the yarn guide and disposed between the slot and the yarn guide, there is located a yarn holding means which keeps the yarn in engagement with the yarn guide after the yarn has been severed upon substantially winding the desired amount of yarn on the yarn support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a prior art device of French Patent 2,153,599 which is improved by the apparatus of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing how the apparatus of FIG. 1 is modified with a yarn guide in accordance with the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2 showing how the yarn guide is affixed to a tubular portion of the apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 2 showing how the yarn guide is related to a slot in the tube and to a plane in which the yarn reciprocates as it is accumulated on a yarn winding support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referringnow to FIG. 1, there is shown a fluid transport yarn winding apparatus which is similar to that of French Patent 2,153,599, and with which the apparatus of the instant invention is utilized. In operation, a strand of yarn 11 passes through an induction nozzle 12 which entrains the yarn 11 in an expanding stream of air and carries the yarn 11 into a tube, generally designated by the numeral 13. The tube 13 essentially consists of two sections: an unslotted section 14 and a slotted section 15 which is disposed at an angle to the unslotted section. The unslotted section has a portion 16 which is registered with the nozzle and around which is positioned a cutter 17. The cutter l7 severs the yarn 11 when the desired amount of yarn is accumulated on a yarn winding support 18. The cutter 17 may conveniently be of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 375,068, filed June 29, 1973. Downstream of the cutter 17 there is a short tubular section 19 which is registered with a lateral escape means 21 which allows part of the fluid injected by nozzle 12 to expand into the atmosphere according to the principles of U.S. application Ser. No. 400,563, filed Sept. 25, 1973. Just downstream of the lateral opening 21, the tubular section 14 extends until a bend 22 occurs and the slotted portion 15 of the tube 10 begins.

In order to wind the yarn 11 on the winding support 18, it is first extracted from the tube 15 by a convenient hooking means 23 which may be a vacuum device or any other arrangement that is able to engage the yarn. The hooking means 23 transfers the yarn to a reciprocal guide 24 which moves back and forth along a line adjacent to the support 18 to accumulate the yarn on the support as the support rotates to form the desired winding 25.

Just prior to the support 18 accumulating enough yarn for a complete winding 25, the nozzle 12 is activated to entrain the yarn in a fluid stream so that the yarn will continue to move after the rotating winding support 18 is removed. The cutter 17 is then activated to sever the yarn l1 and the severed portion continues down the tube 13 as the yarn is wound. When the severed portion of the yarn, now indicated by the numeral 26, reaches the slotted portion 15 of the tube 13, it extends through the slot with its free end held within the tube. As the portion 26 of the yarn 11 reaches the end of the slotted tube 15, it is pulled out of the reciprocating guide 24 because the portion 26 now has the orientation which is illustrated by 26a. As the portion of the yarn 26a is coiled on the support 18, it is not distributed by the reciprocating guide 24 and, consequently, forms a loose coil at the left-hand end 29 of the winding 25. It is this tendency which the apparatus of the instant invention counteracts.

Still referring to FIG. 1, as the new strand of yarn 11 travels through the tube 13, the expanding column of air turns the bend 22 and travels along the slotted portion of the tube 15 carrying the new strand with it. The new strand then enters a yarn box 31 which is positioned adjacent the left-hand end 29 of the winding support 18. Several tubular portions, such as the slotted tubular portion 15, are registered with the yarn box 31, and the box is periodically evacuated by a nozzle 32 to deposit yarn therein in a waste container (not shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a guide plate, designated generally by the numeral 40, is shown which serves as a holding means to position the yarn 11 so that the yarn remains within the reciprocating guide 24 even as the free end of the yarn advances in the slotted tubular portion 15. The guide plate 40 is rigidly attached by welding, for example, to the slotted tube 15, as perhaps is best seen in FIG. 4.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the guide plate 40 projects from the slotted tube 15 adjacent to the slot 41 through which the yarn 11 is pulled and is disposed between a plane 42 which is defined by the yarn 11 as the yarn is reciprocated by the reciprocating guide 24. Upon initially grabbing the yarn 11 with the hooking means 23 to deliver the yarn to the reciprocating guide 24, the yarn is removed from the slotted tube 15 by being pulled through the slot 41 so that it is disposed opposite a first surface 43 of the guide plate 40. Upon being hooked by a conventional means to the yarn support 18 and being grasped by the reciprocating yarn guide 24, the yarn 11 is taken by the guide 24 past a projection 45 (see FIG. 2) which defines the end of the guide plate 40. After clearing the guide plate 40, the yarn 11 is moved around to the other side 46 of the guide plate to reciprocate in the plane 42. The yarn 11 remains in the plane 42 as the yarn support 18 accumulates the winding 25.

After sufficient yarn 11 is accumulated in the winding 25, the nozzle 12 is activated to entrain the yarn 11 in the stream of advancing expanding fluid and then the cutter 17 is activated to sever the yarn. Since the yarn support 18 is rotating, the yarn 11 will be continued to be wound on the support 18 while remaining in the plane 42. However, when the free end of the yarn 11 rounds the bend 22 and is carried by the fluid stream into the slotted portion 15 of the tube 13, the downstream end of the yarn will be carried on the first side 43 of the guide plate 40, while the upstream end advancing through the reciprocating guide 24 will be on the opposite side 46 of the guide plate. The yarn 11 will therefor pass over a hooked portion 50 which is formed by the convergence of the projection 45 with a ramp portion 51 of the guide 40, as seen in FIG. 2. The yarn 11 will thereafter continue to advance from the hooked portion 50 and remain within the guide 24 instead of being pulled off to the side and out of the guide 24, as shown by 26a of FIG. 1. When the free end of the yarn 11 is finally pulled through the slot 15, it will be laid on the winding 25 according to the position of the yarn 24 and therefor will not loosely coil on one end 29 of the winding.

While the preferred configuration of the guide plate 40 is that ofa plate, it could also be, for example, a wire or any other configuration so long as proper positioning of the yarn 11 is achieved after the cutter 17 is activated. The particular plate shown does, in itself, include novel features in that the ramp 51 assures smooth migration of the yarn down the plate 40 until it is progressing over the hook 50 defined by the junction of projection 45 and the ramp 51. In addition, the plate structure provides a relatively rigid, strong configuration.

After the coil is full, the afore-described steps are repeated to coil a new winding 25 on another yarn support 18, and so forth.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described, but relates to any similar device performing the same function. and is limited only by the following claims. The device thus can comprise any mechanical, electrical or pneumatic means without disturbing the upstream transport of yarn, nor forcing the downstream yarn to leave the tube in the fluid transporting the yarn. The invention is applicable to the pneumatic support of yarns in general, the yarns being of any type; i.e., continuous yarns, threads or fibers, or of any count. The yarns may be made of any material, be that material natural, chemical, inorganic, etc.

What 1 claim is:

1. in an apparatus for advancing yarn from an upstream station to a support around which the yarn is wound:

a tube for entraining the yarn in an expanding stream of fluid, said tube having a first portion and a second portion, said second portion being bent to form an angle with respect to said first portion and having a slot therein through which the yarn is extracted from the second portion when the yarn is wound on the support;

reciprocating guide means for distributing the yarn on the support as the guide means reciprocates, said guide means reciprocating the yarn in a plane as the yarn is accumulated;

means for cutting the yarn upstream of the second portion of the tube when the support is almost full;

and

means disposed between the end of the first portion of the tube and the reciprocating guide for holding the yarn in the guide after the yarn has been cut.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding means projects from the second portion of the tube from a location adjacent to said slot and terminates at a location contained within a plane extending between the edge of the slot and the plane in which the yarn reciprocates as it is accumulated so that while the yarn is in the second portion of the tube and is being accumulated on the support, the yarn extends over the holding means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said holding means includes a ramp portion and a hook portion. wherein said ramp portion extends from said second portion of said tube to support the yarn as the free end advances along said portion of said tube and said hook portion is positioned in substantial alignment with the axis of said first portion of said tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot is disposed out of the plane defined by the reciprocation of the yarn and the holding means is disposed between the slot and the plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the holding means is a rigid member which is secured to the side of the second portion of the tube and which extends adjacent to the slot, wherein said :rigid member has means associated therewith which cooperate to position the yarn with successive portions in alignment with the first portion of said tube after the yarn is cut.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cooperating means include a projection over which the successive portions pass and a ramp extending from said second portion of the tube to said projection to form a hook with the projection by joining therewith.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the holding means is in the form of a plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the holding means is in the form of a plate. 

1. In an apparatus for advancing yarn from an upstream station to a support around which the yarn is wound: a tube for entraining the yarn in an expanding stream of fluid, said tube having a first portion and a second portion, said second portion being bent to form an angle with respect to said first portion and having a slot therein through which the yarn is extracted from the Second portion when the yarn is wound on the support; reciprocating guide means for distributing the yarn on the support as the guide means reciprocates, said guide means reciprocating the yarn in a plane as the yarn is accumulated; means for cutting the yarn upstream of the second portion of the tube when the support is almost full; and means disposed between the end of the first portion of the tube and the reciprocating guide for holding the yarn in the guide after the yarn has been cut.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding means projects from the second portion of the tube from a location adjacent to said slot and terminates at a location contained within a plane extending between the edge of the slot and the plane in which the yarn reciprocates as it is accumulated so that while the yarn is in the second portion of the tube and is being accumulated on the support, the yarn extends over the holding means.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said holding means includes a ramp portion and a hook portion, wherein said ramp portion extends from said second portion of said tube to support the yarn as the free end advances along said portion of said tube and said hook portion is positioned in substantial alignment with the axis of said first portion of said tube.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot is disposed out of the plane defined by the reciprocation of the yarn and the holding means is disposed between the slot and the plane.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the holding means is a rigid member which is secured to the side of the second portion of the tube and which extends adjacent to the slot, wherein said rigid member has means associated therewith which cooperate to position the yarn with successive portions in alignment with the first portion of said tube after the yarn is cut.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cooperating means include a projection over which the successive portions pass and a ramp extending from said second portion of the tube to said projection to form a hook with the projection by joining therewith.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the holding means is in the form of a plate.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the holding means is in the form of a plate. 